Do you know what Metadata is ? Let me tell you, so whenever you share a PDF online, suppose for work, school, or something personal, that can be a report, ebook, or work document, some hidden details go along with them. You might think you’re only sharing the visible content, but that’s not true. All the PDFs have some hidden data that is called the metadata. It’s not directly visible, but it’s always there.
What are these hidden details? Metadata usually includes the author’s name, the date on which the PDF was created, the software that was used, and the last date it was modified. Although these might not seem important, they reveal about you or your organization.
And that’s why many people choose to remove metadata from PDF files before sharing. Doing so helps protect privacy, keeps documents professional, and ensures you’re not giving away unintended details. In this guide, we’ll explain what metadata really is, why it matters, and the easiest ways to delete or hide it, whether you’re on Windows, Mac, or using online tools.
How to Remove Metadata (Hide Author, Date, All Hidden)
You just need one tool to do this for you very seamlessly, and that tool is Systweak PDF Editor.
So just get Systweak PDF Editor in your system. Download and installit and then follow the steps to remove metadata from
Open the PDF document
Launch your PDF editor and open the file from which you want to remove metadata.
Go to File
Once you open your file, go to ‘File’ located at the top left. Click on file to reach metadata.
Look for Document Properties
In the file menu, find ‘Document Properties’. Click on ‘Document Properties’
This is metadata
When you click on Document properties, a window will open with some details of the PDF file, and all the data you see here is the metadata of the PDF file.
You’ll find fields from File Name to Application. In between Author, Title, Subject, Keywords, last modified date, etc.
Edit Metadata
If you want to edit this metadata, just to hide original details. Click on ‘Edit Metadata’ to get the access.
When you click on Edit Metadata, you’ll see a window which is editable.
Here you can rewrite whatever you want, and change these details.
For example, we’ll rewrite this and then click on ‘Submit’.
And you are done!
Re-Check Metadata
Once you Submit, go to File > Document Properties and check the metadata.
That is all!
But if you want to Remove Metadata only, then simply remove it with the following steps:-
You can also check out this video to Remove Metadata.
Go to Secure
For removing metadata, go to the Secure tab from the top menus.
Find Remove Metadata
In the ‘Secure’ tab look for ‘Remove Metadata’. This option allows to to remove all the hidden details that a PDF File carries.
Click on ‘Remove Metadata’.
Remove Metadata
Once you click on ‘Remove Metadata’, a message will pop up, read it and click on yes to continue.
Let it process, it will just take a few seconds to remove it.
And you are all done, your PDF file’s metadata has been removed successfully.
Verify metadata removal
Go to File > Document properties and check the metadata field.
It’s all gone. Verified.
Removing Metadata is as simple as this.
Conclusion
Removing metadata from PDFs might not sound like a big deal but trust me it’s a small step if you want to protect your privacy, keep things professional, and ensure nothing other than what you want gets shared. Whether it’s removing Metadata or editing it, just a few clicks and you can do it easily with the Systweal PDF Editor.
Also it’s better to keep backup copies, just in case you need the original metadata later.
FAQs
Q: Can metadata removal be undone?
Once you save a PDF with metadata removed, you generally can’t restore it unless you keep a copy with metadata intact. That’s why “Save As” is a safer route.
Q: Does removing metadata affect the layout or content of the PDF?
Usually not. Removing metadata doesn’t change visible content, it only removes background info. But in rare cases, internal references or embedded objects might be affected, depending on how the PDF was created.
Q: Can I remove metadata from multiple PDFs at once?
Yes, some tools support batch metadata removal. If you have many PDFs, batch mode can save you a lot of time.
Q: Do free PDF readers allow metadata removal?
Many free readers do not support complete metadata removal. You may need a premium or more advanced PDF editor to fully clear hidden info.
